FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Stacey Chiang, Homes 4 Families SChiang@Homes4Families.org Office: (818) 884-8808 x208

Homes 4 Families and CalVet present Santa Clarita Veterans with Keys to their New Homes

Santa Clarita - On Saturday, November 17, Homes 4 Families and the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) held a public ceremony to present 24 veterans and their families with keys to their new homes. “I believe in the American Dream, and for veterans, a big part of that dream is home ownership,” said CalVet Secretary Dr. Vito Imbasciani. “Through this project, CalVet and Homes 4 Families have provided the opportunity of home ownership to more than 90 veterans for more than 6 years.”

This final phase of 24 families completes the 78-home CalVet Residential Enriched Neighborhood, a program that offers permanent, affordable home ownership with manageable loan payments and family enrichment services to low-income veterans and their families. This model provides more than just a home – it includes services such as financial literacy workshops and veteran-specific trauma informed services, and has been proven to have positive, long-term outcomes for low-income families.

L to R: Hunt Braly, Homes 4 Families Board Chair; CalVet Secretary Vito Imbasciani; Donna Deutchman, President & CEO of Homes 4 Families; Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

Presentation of the Colors by the California State Honor Guard, as the Homes 4 Families Board lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

“Our Veterans understand the meaning of leadership, dedication, and service, plus they bring these important skills to our community. They are truly an asset,” said Donna Deutchman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Homes 4 Families. The event also featured art by veterans and military family members, created as part of Homes 4 Families’ My TIME® (My Trauma Informed Military Enrichment) program. This program gives veterans and military family members a way to express their narratives and address their traumas through art-making, introspection, and peer-to-peer sharing. This neighborhood was a partnership between Homes 4 Families and CalVet, with a contribution from the California Department of Housing and Community Development CalHome program. This event honored major supporters and sponsors including The City of Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Anheuser-Busch represented by General Manager Eric Gutierrez, The Ahmanson Foundation, Citi, and many more.

Eric Gutierrez, General Manager of the Los Angeles Anheuser-Busch Brewery, welcomes home veteran and long-time Anheuser-Bush employee Mark “Bubba” Johnson and his family.

Among those present to welcome home the military families were: Congressman Steve Knight and his wife Lily, Secretary of CalVet Dr. Vito Imbasciani, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste, Santa Clarita Mayor Pro Tem Marsha MacLean, Kris Hough representing State Senator Scott Wilk, and Sharon Bronson representing Assemblymember Dante Acosta.

CalVet and Homes 4 Families are continuing to partner in building Enriched Neighborhoods® for low-income veterans and their families as they continue construction on the next project: a 56-home CalVet Residential Enriched Neighborhood in Palmdale, California. About Homes 4 Families: Homes 4 Families (www.homes4families.org) empowers low-income veterans and their families to enter the middle class through affordable, full-equity homeownership combined with holistic services that build resiliency, self-sufficiency and economic growth. Through its outcome-proven Enriched Neighborhood® model, the nonprofit provides service members, veterans, and their families with comprehensive wraparound services that equip them to succeed in civilian life, including financial education, therapeutic workshops, trauma-informed programs and veteran-to-veteran support. With more than ten years of research-backed experience and success, Homes 4 Families works closely with the California Department of Veterans Affairs and others to build permanent, thriving veteran communities.

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